State Constables, the best kept secret in PA.

[LTCcarrier]

My father was a Constable in the City of Philadelphia I believe in the 1950s or 60s. Is there any place I can get info on him as he is now deceased.

[maynard]

My father was a Constable in the City of Philadelphia I believe in the 1950s or 60s. Is there any place I can get info on him as he is now deceased.

Might try asking Voter Registration in Philly, if they archive records that far back, and how to acquire them. Good Luck.

[t1066]

Well, I haven't posted about it before, but there is a constable who was charged with impersonating a constable. He finally won his court case and had the charges dropped earlier this year.

Well, turns out he went to New Jersey and got himself arrested for basically the same thing:

https://www.rlsmedia.com/article/ess...gun-fake-badge

Essex County Authorities Arrest Armed Man for Impersonating Police Officer
Submitted by RLS Staff on Dec 5 2019 - 5:00pm.


A Pennsylvania man was arrested and charged with impersonating a police officer after he was allegedly caught at an Essex County building carrying a loaded gun and a fake badge on Tuesday.

According to preliminary reports, Mr. Steven Wiggs, 37, of Pennsylvania was attending a child support hearing at the Newark courthouse when officers found him in possession of the gun and badge that he stated was for his Pennsylvania Constable job.



After an investigation, police say the badge was fake and they believe Wiggs made up the story of being a constable in Pennsylvania according to the charges filed against him.

In NJ and Pennsylvania, the role and responsibilities of the Constable has been marred by controversy.

In a March 2019 article produced by Advanced Media, the report stated that Acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn A. Murray and Union County Prosecutor Theodore J. Romankow sent letters to the chief of the New Jersey constables, demanding he and other constables discontinue using the word ‘police’ on badges, shirts, hats and uniforms. Romankow even forwarded the matter to the Attorney General’s office.

According to the Advanced Media report, in New Jersey, constables are peace officers with limited powers, including the authority to arrest offenders, deliver writs and subpoenas and provide security, among other duties.

In NJ, they are appointed to three-year terms by a council person in the township where they live. Each municipality can have between two and 50 constables. Private attorneys and other interests, never the town or state, pay for their services.

Under the Pennsylvania law, Constables are Public Officers elected or appointed to their position in accordance with the laws of elections. A Constable is a sworn Law Enforcement/Peace Officer that can arrest for felony crimes and breaches of the peace committed in his presence, or by warrant anywhere in the commonwealth.



In a February 2019 news story, writer Steve Esack from 'The Morning Call' said State Rep. Barry Jozwiak, R-Berks, a retired state trooper and former elected sheriff, proposed a bill in the legislature to eliminate elected constables in Pennsylvania, saying their role in the criminal justice system is outdated.

Esack's reported that Pennsylvania lawmakers immediately dismissed the bill. “That bill’s not going anywhere,” said John-Walter Weiser, an Adams County constable who serves as president of the Commonwealth Constables Association, one of at least three lobbying groups in Harrisburg, according to Esack's report.

Wiggs vehicle -that resembled a police car- reportedly took up space at an NJIT College facility on some occasions in the evening hours according to a source close to the investigation. It is not clear if NJIT police officials ever checked the suspect's credentials.

According to Essex County records, Wiggs is charged with Illegal Possession of a Weapon and Ammunition Magazine and Possession of a False Id.

Police say the suspect was sent to The Essex County Jail for processing and his vehicle was towed away.

The investigation remains active and ongoing.

If you check out the Constable Finder, it does say Wiggs was current until 2/2020. But I couldn't say whether or not his insurance has lapsed.

https://www.pccdcis.pa.gov/CCETS/Pub...bleFinder.aspx

[Walleye Hunter]

Well, I haven't posted about it before, but there is a constable who was charged with impersonating a constable. He finally won his court case and had the charges dropped earlier this year.

Well, turns out he went to New Jersey and got himself arrested for basically the same thing:

https://www.rlsmedia.com/article/ess...gun-fake-badge



If you check out the Constable Finder, it does say Wiggs was current until 2/2020. But I couldn't say whether or not his insurance has lapsed.

https://www.pccdcis.pa.gov/CCETS/Pub...bleFinder.aspx

That's a mistake he'll wish he hadn't made.

[Daycrawler]

That's a mistake he'll wish he hadn't made.

He has powers of arrest and IMO should be able to carry in the peoples republik. He may win the case but not after a lot of time and money. He should be covered under LEOSA and the Gestapo should know that as well. IMO eventually he will win a law suit for violating his civil rights.

[Emptymag]

At least he didn't try to buy a Winchester in Wilkinsburg.

[JDA58]

I see what you did there ^^^^

[scruff]

The state has made big changes to constable training because of a funding crisis. Our yearly continuing education classes have been cut back from 20 hours to 8, and our firearm training has been basically eliminated. We just go in once a year now to qualify. But the biggest changes are for new constables.

Two major changes have been made. First, new constables have to pay $2600 for their own training.
Second, they’re only offering the training near Harrisburg. That’s travel expenses for six 20-hour weekends – Friday evening, and all day Saturday and Sunday. I figure that would cost at least $2k for hotel, food, gas & tolls. Add in $300+ for liability insurance and $100 for ammo for the qualifier, and a new constable is in for $5k before even buying uniforms, gear, a car, etc.

Looks like the bar for entry just got a lot higher.

[Emptymag]

The bar seems have been lowered.
The price to play has been raised.

[Daycrawler]

That's a mistake he'll wish he hadn't made.

He has powers of arrest and IMO should be able to carry in the peoples republik. He may win the case but not after a lot of time and money. He should be covered under LEOSA and the Gestapo should know that as well. IMO eventually he will win a law suit for violating his civil rights.

He is covered under LEOSA. This happened in ny and the Constable won the case. The JBT don't care about the law.